In many situations two or more electronic circuit boards are interconnected together by mating connectors. In some situations, blades on one board mate with connectors on a second board. Each blade can carry one or more electrical circuits. These circuits can include data signals and/or power. Heat generated by electronic components on the electronic boards tends to increase as the density of the components increase. Often a limiting factor in circuit design is the amount of heat that can be removed from a given configuration. Typically, the air volume necessary for proper heat removal is proportional to the amount of heat generated.
It is sometimes desired to move circuit boards closer to each other to free up room for heat sinks and other heat management devices. However, when electronic boards are electrically connected, the blade connector that is positioned on one board physically limits how close the two boards can be positioned. This connector then determines the spacing between adjacent boards and limits the cooling options available to a system designer.